Depressive symptom trajectories in the first 10 years of diabetes diagnosis: antecedent factors and link with future disability in Taiwan

Purpose

This study identified depressive symptom trajectories in the years after diabetes diagnosis, examined factors that predict the probability for people following a specific trajectory, and investigated how the trajectories are associated with subsequent disability.

Methods

We drew data from a nationally representative survey in Taiwan to identify adults aged 50 and older diagnosed with diabetes; 487 patients newly diagnosed with diabetes during 1996–2007 were included. Time axis was set to zero when diabetes was first reported in any given wave in the survey, and data related to depressive symptoms after that were recorded. We used group-based semi-parametric mixture models to identify trajectories of depressive symptoms and multinomial logistic regressions to examine factors associated with the trajectories.

Results

Older adults with newly diagnosis of diabetes in Taiwan follow different trajectories of depressive symptoms over time. Being female, lower educated, not married/partnered, with lower self-rated health, hospitalizations, more limitations in physical function, less regular exercise before diagnosis, and not regularly using anti-diabetic medication at the beginning of their diagnosis were factors associated with increasing or high stable depressive symptom trajectories. Those who experienced high depressive symptoms were more likely than individuals with stable depressive symptoms to have physical limitations in the last follow-up interview.

Conclusions

Depressive symptom trajectories after diabetes diagnosis were associated with select sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle factors before diagnosis, and also predicted subsequent disability. Risk groups identified in the present study may be used for personalized diabetes care that prevents diabetes-related distress and future disability.

     

Examining the Support Peer Supporters Provide Using Structural Equation Modeling: Nondirective and Directive Support in Diabetes Management

Background

Little research has examined the characteristics of peer support. Pertinent to such examination may be characteristics such as the distinction between nondirective support (accepting recipients’ feelings and cooperative with their plans) and directive (prescribing “correct” choices and feelings).

Purpose

In a peer support program for individuals with diabetes, this study examined (a) whether the distinction between nondirective and directive support was reflected in participants’ ratings of support provided by peer supporters and (b) how nondirective and directive support were related to depressive symptoms, diabetes distress, and Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).

Methods

Three hundred fourteen participants with type 2 diabetes provided data on depressive symptoms, diabetes distress, and HbA1c before and after a diabetes management intervention delivered by peer supporters. At post-intervention, participants reported how the support provided by peer supporters was nondirective or directive. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), correlation analyses, and structural equation modeling examined the relationships among reports of nondirective and directive support, depressive symptoms, diabetes distress, and measured HbA1c.

Results

CFA confirmed the factor structure distinguishing between nondirective and directive support in participants’ reports of support delivered by peer supporters. Controlling for demographic factors, baseline clinical values, and site, structural equation models indicated that at post-intervention, participants’ reports of nondirective support were significantly associated with lower, while reports of directive support were significantly associated with greater depressive symptoms, altogether (with control variables) accounting for 51% of the variance in depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

Peer supporters’ nondirective support was associated with lower, but directive support was associated with greater depressive symptoms.

     

Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background

Chronic pain patients increasingly seek treatment through mindfulness meditation.

Purpose

This study aims to synthesize evidence on efficacy and safety of mindfulness meditation interventions for the treatment of chronic pain in adults.

Method

We conducted a systematic review on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with meta-analyses using the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman method for random-effects models. Quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. Outcomes included pain, depression, quality of life, and analgesic use.

Results

Thirty-eight RCTs met inclusion criteria; seven reported on safety. We found low-quality evidence that mindfulness meditation is associated with a small decrease in pain compared with all types of controls in 30 RCTs. Statistically significant effects were also found for depression symptoms and quality of life.

Conclusions

While mindfulness meditation improves pain and depression symptoms and quality of life, additional well-designed, rigorous, and large-scale RCTs are needed to decisively provide estimates of the efficacy of mindfulness meditation for chronic pain.

     

Sleep Quality Predicts Persistence of Parental Postpartum Depressive Symptoms and Transmission of Depressive Symptoms from Mothers to Fathers

Background

Early parenthood is a time of chronic sleep disturbance and also of heightened depression risk. Poor sleep quality has been identified both as a predictor of postpartum depressive symptoms and as a consequence.

Purpose

This study sought to clarify causal pathways linking sleep and postpartum depression via longitudinal path modeling. Sleep quality at 6 months postpartum was hypothesized to exacerbate depressive symptoms from 1 month through 1 year postpartum in both mothers and fathers. Within-couple associations between sleep and depression were also tested.

Methods

Data were drawn from a low-income, racially and ethnically diverse sample of 711 couples recruited after the birth of a child. Depressive symptoms were assessed at 1, 6, and 12 months postpartum, and sleep was assessed at 6 months postpartum.

Results

For both partnered mothers and fathers and for single mothers, depressive symptoms at 1 month postpartum predicted sleep quality at 6 months, which in turn predicted depressive symptoms at both 6 and 12 months. Results held when infant birth weight, breastfeeding status, and parents’ race/ethnicity, poverty, education, and immigration status were controlled. Mothers’ and fathers’ sleep quality and depressive symptoms were correlated, and maternal sleep quality predicted paternal depressive symptoms both at 6 and at 12 months.

Conclusions

Postpartum sleep difficulties may contribute to a vicious cycle between sleep and the persistence of depression after the birth of a child. Sleep problems may also contribute to the transmission of depression within a couple. Psychoeducation and behavioral treatments to improve sleep may benefit new parents.

     

A 10-year prospective-longitudinal study of daily hassles and incident psychopathology among adolescents and young adults: interactions with gender,perceived coping efficacy,and negative life events

Purpose

To prospectively examine whether higher daily hassles predict a variety of incident mental disorders and respective associations vary by gender, age, perceived coping efficacy and number of negative life events.

Methods

Data comes from the Early Developmental Stages of Psychopathology Study (EDSP), a prospective-longitudinal study among adolescents and young adults from the community (n = 2797, aged 14–24 at baseline) followed up in up to 3 assessment waves over 10 years. Mental disorders were assessed at each wave using the DSM-IV/M-CIDI. Daily hassles, perceived coping efficacy, and negative life events were assessed at baseline using the Daily Hassles Scale, Scale for Self-Control and Coping Skills, and Munich Life Event List.

Results

In logistic regressions adjusted for gender, age, other mental disorders, perceived coping efficacy and number of negative life events at baseline, higher daily hassles at baseline predicted the incidence of any anxiety disorder, specific phobia, obsessive–compulsive disorder, any affective disorder, and major depressive episodes at follow-up (OR 1.2–1.9 per standard deviation). Daily hassles interacted with perceived coping efficacy at baseline in predicting incident panic attacks (OR 1.3) and panic disorder (OR 1.3) at follow-up, i.e., higher daily hassles only predicted incident panic pathology among individuals with low perceived coping efficacy (OR 1.6–2.0) but not high perceived coping efficacy. Moreover, the associations between daily hassles and incident mental disorders partially varied by gender and age but not by negative life events at baseline.

Conclusions

Targeted stress management interventions among individuals with increased daily hassles might be useful to prevent the onset of anxiety and affective disorders.

     

Deliberate self-harm among adolescent psychiatric outpatients in Singapore: prevalence,nature and risk factors

Background

Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a prominent mental health concern among adolescents. Few studies have examined adolescent DSH in non-Western countries. This study examines the prevalence, types and associated risk factors of DSH in a clinical sample of adolescents in Singapore.

Methods

Using a retrospective review of medical records, demographic and clinical data were obtained from 398 consecutive adolescent psychiatric outpatients (mean age?=?17.5?±?1.4 years, range?=?13–19 years) who presented at Changi General Hospital from 2013 to 2015.

Results

23.1% (n?=?92) of adolescents engaged in at least one type of DSH. Cutting was the most common type of DSH reported. Females were three times more likely to engage in DSH than males. DSH was positively associated with female gender (odds ratio [OR] 5.03), depressive disorders (OR 2.45), alcohol use (OR 3.49) and forensic history (OR 3.66), but not with smoking behaviour, living arrangement, parental marital status, past abuse or family history of psychiatric illness.

Conclusion

Interventions targeting adolescent DSH should also alleviate depressive symptoms, alcohol use and delinquent behaviours.

     

A Self-Regulatory Intervention for Patients with Head and Neck Cancer: Pilot Randomized Trial

Background

Research is yet to investigate whether psychological interventions delivered early after diagnosis can benefit patients with head and neck cancer (HNC).

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a brief self-regulatory intervention (targeting illness perceptions and coping) at improving HNC patient health-related quality of life (HRQL).

Methods

A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted, in which 64 patients were assigned to receive three sessions with a health psychologist in addition to standard care or standard care alone. Participants completed questionnaires assessing HRQL, general distress, and illness perceptions at baseline and again 3 and 6 months later.

Results

Compared to the control group, patients who received the intervention had increased treatment control perceptions at 3 months (p = .01), and increased social quality of life at 6 months (p = .01). The intervention was particularly helpful for patients exhibiting distress at baseline.

Conclusion

A brief psychological intervention following HNC diagnosis can improve patient perceptions of treatment and social quality of life over time. Such interventions could be targeted to patients who are distressed in order to confer the greatest benefit.

Trial Registration Number

12614000813684.

     

Investigating the roles of loneliness and clinician- and self-rated depressive symptoms in predicting the subjective quality of life among people with psychosis

Purpose

To examine the roles of loneliness and clinician- and self-rated depressive symptoms as predictors of the subjective quality of life (QoL) in psychosis.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 207 patients diagnosed with psychotic disorders. They were assessed with self-reported measures of QoL, loneliness and depression and with clinician-rated measures of depression and overall psychopathology. Multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) modeling was used to analyze the data.

Results

Both loneliness and depression turned out to be independent predictors of impaired QoL. However, once loneliness was accounted for, the effect of depression on QoL was markedly reduced and the effect of loneliness proved to be visibly larger. Self-rated depression was found to be more strongly associated with QoL than clinician-rated depression. Each type of depression measure explained a unique amount of variance in QoL. Depression moderated the relationship between loneliness and QoL in such a way that the negative effect of loneliness on QoL weakened with the increasing intensity of depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

Therapeutic programs aiming to enhance the QoL of people with psychotic disorders should incorporate interventions targeting both loneliness and depression and need to be tailored to the clinical status of patients. The emphasis on alleviating loneliness should be placed first of all in the case of those with low levels of depression, among whom the negative impact of loneliness on QoL is especially strong. Researchers should be aware that the method chosen for assessing depressive symptoms in models predicting QoL in psychosis matters.

     

Utilization of traditional,complementary and alternative medicine and mental health among patients with chronic diseases in primary health care settings in Cambodia

Background

Coping with chronic illnesses often involves major lifestyle changes that may lead to poor mental health. Furthermore, in order to treat the chronic conditions, many sufferers in Asia turn to traditional, complementary and alternative medicines (TCAM). This study explores prevalence of TCAM use and factors associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms among patients with chronic diseases in Cambodia.

Methods

In 2015, this cross-sectional study was conducted with outpatients receiving treatment and care for chronic diseases in two urban and two rural primary health centers. Every eligible patient was randomly selected at the health centers using a systematic sampling procedure. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed by using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Multivariate logistic regression models were constructed to explore factors associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms.

Results

The study participants included 1528 patients, of whom 77.2% were female, with a mean age of 46.5 years (SD = 15.3). After adjustment, patients with depressive symptoms remained significantly more likely to be in the age groups between 41 and 60 years old and to be married, separated/divorced or widowed compared to those without depressive symptoms. Regarding the use of TCAM, patients with depressive symptoms remained significantly more likely to report using an herbalist, practicing visualization and praying for own health, but less likely to report using vitamins or supplements in the past 12 months. For quality of life, patients with depressive symptoms remained significantly less likely to agree that they had enough energy for their everyday life and had enough money to meet their daily needs. Similar risk factors were also found to be significantly associated with anxiety symptoms.

Conclusions

Cambodian patients with chronic diseases who experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression were more likely to report reduced quality of life, greater chronic disease-related stigma and more TCAM use. Given the potential interaction of TCAM, mental health and other chronic conditions, a history of TCAM use and mental health should be elicited in clinical practices in primary health care settings, particularly in developing countries.

     

Accumulation of Depressive Symptoms and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

Background

The association between depressive symptoms and subclinical atherosclerosis has been inconsistent.

Purpose

We sought to replicate our previous study, which demonstrated a positive relation between depressive symptoms and subclinical atherosclerosis assessed with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in men, using a newer measurement of carotid IMT and a cumulative loading of depressive symptoms over three follow-ups.

Methods

The sample comprised 996 adults (352 men) aged 30 to 45 years in 2007 from a prospective population-based Finnish sample. The participants completed a modified version of Beck Depression Inventory in 1992, 1997, and 2001. Carotid IMT was assessed with ultrasound in 2001 and 2007. Cardiovascular risk factors (i.e., body mass index, systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and smoking) were measured in childhood (1980) and in adulthood (2007).

Results

We found no association between the accumulative depression index and carotid IMT before or after controlling for the traditional risk factors (all p values ≥0.67). Depressive symptoms did not predict IMT progression over two time points and the highest level of carotid wall thickening. Imputed and non-imputed data sets provided similar results. Results remained the same when men and women were analyzed separately. Additional analyses revealed no significant interactions between depressive symptoms and cardiovascular risk factors (i.e., body mass index and systolic blood pressure) on carotid IMT (all p values >0.15).

Conclusions

The findings of this population-based study did not indicate any direct association between depressive symptoms and carotid IMT in asymptomatic, young adults.

     

Life satisfaction and happiness associated with depressive symptoms among university students: a cross-sectional study in Korea

Background

This cross-sectional study investigated the impact of life satisfaction and happiness, as well as the prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms in a large sample of university students.

Methods

We included 2338 students at 6 universities in 1 metropolitan city and 2 provinces of Korea. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory, and scores of 16 or higher were categorized as the presence of depression. Various sociodemographic, life satisfaction, happiness, and clinical factors (alcohol consumption and sleep quality) were measured. According to the presence of depression, sociodemographic, life satisfaction, happiness, and clinical characteristics were compared using statistical analyses. Further, a logistic regression model was constructed to examine the impact of life satisfaction, happiness, and clinical factors on depression.

Results

Among participants, 13.4% were identified as having depression. Life satisfaction and happiness were associated with a lower risk of depression, while hazardous alcohol drinking and poor sleep quality were related to a higher risk of depression. In addition, female gender, subjective body shape as obese, and insufficient pocket money were found to be significant correlates of depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated possible risk and protective factors of underlying depressive symptoms. Especially, our findings suggest that improvement in life satisfaction and happiness would be important in the prevention and management of depression. Our findings may contribute to developing specialized mental health programs for prevention, screening, and treatment of depression among university students.

     

Prospective Associations Between Depressive Symptoms and the Metabolic Syndrome: the Spirited Life Study of Methodist Pastors in North Carolina

Background

Metabolic syndrome (Met-S) has a robust concurrent association with depression. A small, methodologically limited literature suggests that Met-S and depression are reciprocally related over time, an association that could contribute to their overlapping influences on morbidity and mortality in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Purpose

Using a refined approach to the measurement of Met-S as a continuous latent variable comprising continuous components, this study tested the prospective associations between Met-S and depression.

Methods

This study of 1114 clergy included four annual assessments of depressive symptoms and Met-S components. Standard methods were used to measure Met-S risk factors, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 was used to assess depressive symptoms. We used confirmatory factor analysis to verify the structure of Met-S and depression and structural equation modeling to quantify the prospective relationships.

Results

The statistical models confirmed the validity of quantifying Met-S as a continuous latent variable, replicated previous evidence of a concurrent association, and indicated a significant prospective association of initial depressive symptoms with subsequent Met-S. Initial Met-S was at most only weakly associated with subsequent depressive symptoms, and the former prospective effect was significantly larger. Associations of depressive symptoms and Met-S were significant for both men and women, but somewhat stronger among men.

Conclusions

Results support representation of Met-S as a continuous latent variable. The association of initial depressive symptoms with later Met-S suggests that interventions addressing these correlated risk factors may prove useful in preventive efforts.

     

Idiopathisch generalisierte Epilepsien

Background

Although the sociomedical importance of epilepsies has been extensively investigated, data regarding social long-term outcome and quality of life of people with idiopathic generalized epilepsies (IGE) are lacking.

Objectives

Predictors for the psychosocial outcome and the quality of life in patients with IGE are identified and discussed.

Materials and methods

The findings of existing studies on the social outcome in patients with various IGE syndromes are analyzed and discussed.

Results

Patients with absence epilepsy or juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) are reported to have an unfavorable psychosocial outcome. While in JME a lower seizure frequency or remission of the epilepsy correlates with a favorable psychosocial outcome and a higher quality of life, remission of epilepsy is not predictive for a better social outcome among patients with absence epilepsy. Compared to other IGE syndromes, IGE with generalized, tonic–clonic seizures on awakening appears have a more favorable psychosocial outcome.

Conclusion

Several predictors for the psychosocial outcome and the quality of life have been identified and may potentially increase the clinicians’ ability and confidence to recommend different treatment options to patients with IGE.

     

Individual-level exposure to disaster,neighborhood environmental characteristics,and their independent and combined associations with depressive symptoms in women

Purpose

The severity of the stress response to experiencing disaster depends on individual exposure and background stress prior to the event. To date, there is limited research on the interaction between neighborhood environmental stress and experiencing an oil spill, and their effects on depression. The objective of the current study was to assess if the association between exposure to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (DHOS) and depressive symptoms varied by neighborhood characteristics.

Methods

US Census data (2010) and longitudinal data collected in two waves (2012–2014 and 2014–2016) from female residents [N = 889 (Wave I), 737 (Wave II)] of an area highly affected by the DHOS were analyzed. Multilevel and individual-level negative binomial regressions were performed to estimate associations with depressive symptoms in both waves. An interaction term was included to estimate effect modification of the association between DHOS exposure and depressive symptoms by neighborhood characteristics. Generalized estimating equations were applied to the negative binomial regression testing longitudinal associations.

Results

Census tract-level neighborhood characteristics were not associated with depressive symptoms. Exposure to the DHOS and neighborhood physical disorder were associated with depressive symptoms cross-sectionally. There was no evidence of effect modification; however, physical/environmental exposure to the DHOS was associated with increased depressive symptoms only among women living in areas with physical disorder. Exposure to the DHOS remained associated with depressive symptoms over time.

Conclusions

Findings support the enduring consequences of disaster exposure on depressive symptoms in women and identify potential targets for post-disaster intervention based on residential characteristics.

     

Depressive Symptoms and Sleep Efficiency Sequentially Mediate Racial Differences in Temporal Summation of Mechanical Pain

Background

Racial differences in endogenous pain facilitatory processes have been previously reported. Evidence suggests that psychological and behavioral factors, including depressive symptoms and sleep, can alter endogenous pain facilitatory processes. Whether depressive symptoms and sleep might help explain racial differences in endogenous pain facilitatory processes has yet to be determined.

Purpose

This observational, microlongitudinal study examined whether depressive symptoms and sleep were sequential mediators of racial differences in endogenous pain facilitatory processes.

Methods

A total of 50 (26 African American and 24 non-Hispanic white) community-dwelling adults without chronic pain (mean 49.04 years; range 21–77) completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale prior to seven consecutive nights of sleep monitoring with actigraphy in the home environment. Participants subsequently returned to the laboratory for assessment of endogenous pain facilitation using a mechanical temporal summation protocol.

Results

Findings revealed greater depressive symptoms, poorer sleep efficiency, and greater temporal summation of mechanical pain in African Americans compared to non-Hispanic whites. In a sequential mediation model, greater depressive symptoms predicted poorer sleep efficiency (t = ?2.55, p = .014), and poorer sleep efficiency predicted enhanced temporal summation of mechanical pain (t = ?4.11, p < .001), particularly for African Americans.

Conclusions

This study underscores the importance of examining the contribution of psychological and behavioral factors when addressing racial differences in pain processing. Additionally, it lends support for the deleterious impact of depressive symptoms on sleep efficiency, suggesting that both sequentially mediate racial differences in endogenous pain facilitation.

     

Consumption of low-fat dairy,but not whole-fat dairy,is inversely associated with depressive symptoms in Japanese adults

Purpose

Dairy products have been reported to have various beneficial effects on human health. Although some previous studies have shown relationships between dairy consumption and depressive symptoms, the results of these studies were not consistent. This study aimed to investigate the association between frequency of low- and whole-fat dairy consumption, and depressive symptoms.

Methods

This cross-sectional study enrolled 1159 Japanese adults aged 19–83 years. Dietary intake was assessed using a brief self-administered diet history questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were evaluated by a self-rating depression scale (SDS) (the presence of depressive symptoms was defined as an SDS score ≥45 points). Logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between the frequency of low- and whole-fat dairy consumption and depressive symptoms.

Results

Higher frequency of low-fat dairy consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms. In the final adjusted model, the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for prevalence of depressive symptoms when no consumption of low-fat dairy was compared to moderate (1–3 times per week) and high (≥4 times/week) frequencies of low-fat dairy consumption were 0.96 (0.71, 1.30) and 0.51 (0.35, 0.77), respectively (p for the trend?=?0.004). No relationships were observed between the consumption of whole-fat dairy and depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

The current results indicate that a higher frequency of low-fat dairy consumption may be associated with a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms.

     

Psychopathology and impairment of quality of life in offspring of psychiatric inpatients in southern Brazil: a preliminary study

Objective

To evaluate the quality of life and risk of psychopathology in the infant and adolescent offspring of psychiatric inpatients from a general hospital unit.

Methods

Offspring (4–17 years old) of psychiatric inpatients were interviewed face-to-face and assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Interviews with caregivers and the hospitalized parents were also performed. The quality of life of the offspring, psychopathology of their hospitalized parents, and their current caregivers were investigated in order to evaluate any associations between these aspects and psychopathology in the offspring.

Results

Thirty-four children of 25 patients were evaluated, 38.2% of which presented high risk for some type of psychopathology including hyperactivity or attention deficit disorder (38.2%), behavioral disorders (20.6%), and emotional disorders (17.6%). While only the minority of these children (17.6%) were already receiving mental health treatment, another 41.2% of them exhibited some degree of symptoms and were only referred for specialized assessment. Additionally, 61.8% of the children were reported to be suffering from some impairment in their quality of life.

Conclusion

This preliminary study found a high rate of psychopathology in children of psychiatric inpatients. These results corroborate previous evidence that children and adolescents with parents with severe psychopathology are at high risk for developing mental disorders. Public policies and standard protocols of action directed to this population are urgently needed, especially for offspring of parents that are hospitalized in psychiatric in-patient units of general hospitals.

     

Life Satisfaction and Hemodynamic Reactivity to Mental Stress

Background

Satisfaction with life has been considered a health-protective variable, which could impact cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, few studies have examined the physiological pathways involved in the potentially salutary effect of life satisfaction. It was hypothesized that life satisfaction should be associated with a cardiovascular response profile that signals challenge (i.e., higher cardiac output, lower peripheral resistance), rather than threat during a mental stress task.

Methods

A sample of 75 healthy, medication-free men without clinical signs of psychological disorders who worked full-time and occupied highly demanding positions participated in this study. They performed two mental stress tasks (n-back) with varying degrees of difficulty. The tasks were embedded between a baseline and a recovery period. Cardiovascular and hemodynamic variables (heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac output, total peripheral resistance) were recorded by means of impedance cardiography.

Results

Individuals who were more satisfied with their life displayed higher cardiac output and lower peripheral resistance levels during the stress tasks, indicating a challenge rather than a threat profile. Findings were robust when controlled for physical activity, smoking, age, and depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

Life satisfaction could be positively correlated with beneficial hemodynamic stress reactivity, indicating that individuals with higher levels of life satisfaction can more adaptively cope with stress. Increased cardiac output and decreased peripheral resistance during stress may constitute one route through which life satisfaction can benefit health.

     

Gender-Affirming Hormone Use in Transgender Individuals: Impact on Behavioral Health and Cognition

Purpose of Review

With increasing numbers of transgender and gender non-binary individuals presenting for care, knowing how to elucidate the mental health and cognitive outcomes of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) is necessary. This article reviews the present literature covering GAHT effects on mood, behavioral health, and cognition in these individuals and offers research priorities to address knowledge gaps.

Recent Findings

Although there are some conflicting data, GAHT overwhelmingly seems to have positive psychological effects in both adolescents and adults. Research tends to support that GAHT reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, lowers perceived and social distress, and improves quality of life and self-esteem in both male-to-female and female-to-male transgender individuals.

Summary

Clinically, prescribing GAHT can help with gender dysphoria-related mental distress. Thus, timely hormonal intervention represents a crucial tool for improving behavioral wellness in transgender individuals, though effects on cognitive processes fundamental for daily living are unknown. Future research should prioritize better understanding of how GAHT may affect executive functioning.